Tag: cooking

Some like it hot: cooking the perfect winter chili

In today’s post, Chef Deb Rankine, a.k.a. The Fridge Whisperer, shares her favourite campfire chili recipes.

Chili is perfect winter camping fare.

Cook it low ’n slow in a cast iron Dutch oven set over smoldering embers, or on a gas barbecue over indirect heat with the lid down. Or — if you’re on a serviced site — in a slow cooker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Today’s recipes use everyday pantry ingredients that are easily sourced and, for the most part, require no refrigeration.

Continue reading Some like it hot: cooking the perfect winter chili

Master Chef: Ontario Parks backcountry edition

Today’s post comes from Will Oades, Discovery Program Educator
at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park.

Eating in the backcountry should be no different than eating at home!

Well-planned and prepared backcountry meals can taste amazing, satisfy your hunger, and foster conversations about your long day of hiking or paddling.

Tasty outdoor meals are a simple comfort fix that can exponentially enhance your backcountry experience.

There are many meal options available, however, there are three important things to consider when developing your meal plan: caloric content, size/weight, and taste.

Continue reading Master Chef: Ontario Parks backcountry edition

5 ways to practice fall mindfulness

Can you believe we’re already well into fall?

If your day-to-day is anything like ours, your summer flew by, leaving you wondering where the time went. It’s amazing how quickly summer comes and goes, year after year.

But that’s nothing to worry about — fall at Ontario Parks is a favourite time of year for many, and for good reason!

So if you’re feeling stressed from fleeting summer, back-to-school routines, or the impending winter, this blog is sure to help you take a step back, relax, and enjoy the best time of year.

We’ve partnered with our friends at Subaru Canada to share 5 ways to practice fall mindfulness in parks:

Continue reading 5 ways to practice fall mindfulness

Campfire safety: If you love Ontario Parks, don’t burn them!

Today’s post comes from Marketing and Communications summer student Mitch Jackson. His campfire talents include cooking stuffed peppers, grilling barbecue chicken, and always managing to forget to pack a lighter. 

For many campers, a fire is a must. Gathering ’round the flames, sharing stories with friends and family, making s’mores, and burning marshmallows are all part of the quintessential camping experience.

While you may have the perfect campfire recipes, or the perfect campfire building technique, you should also be aware of how to keep your campfire perfectly safe.

Continue reading Campfire safety: If you love Ontario Parks, don’t burn them!

Backcountry basics: storing and disposing of food

We don’t know about you, but when we pack food for our backcountry trip, we plan on eating it.

That plan can go downhill quickly when raccoons, squirrels, and bears dip into your trail mix, or rain soaks through your pack, ruining your soft sausage buns.

You want to see a grumpy bear? A weekend away without food will turn us into one in no time!

Instead, learn how to store food and dispose of scraps so you don’t end up with soggy food or, worse, unexpected dinner guests.

Continue reading Backcountry basics: storing and disposing of food

4 tips for a bear-free campsite

There’s nothing worse than coming back to your campsite after a day of fun and finding a bear has ransacked your cooler.

Stop encouraging Yogi Bear’s pic-a-nic basket habit by keeping your campsite clean.

Here are four ways to keep your campsite clean and bear-free:

Continue reading 4 tips for a bear-free campsite

Then and now: cooking in an RV

This post was written by Deb Rankine, a.k.a. The Fridge Whisperer.

For camping enthusiasts, there are lots of options of where to lay one’s head at the end of a day filled with adventurous hikes, exploratory canoeing, and refreshing swims. Your choice comes down to creature comfort must-haves.

Today’s recreational vehicles do not disappoint! With Ontario Parks celebrating its 125th anniversary, we thought it would be fun to look back on how camping (and cooking) in a travel trailer has changed over the years.

Continue reading Then and now: cooking in an RV

Summer on hold

In today’s post, Chef Deb Rankine, a.k.a. The Fridge Whisperer, shares two made-in-minutes warm dinner salads that are perfect fare for autumn around the campfire.

Can it really be September?

Here are two warm dinner salads to gently (and deliciously!) guide you into shorter days and cooler evenings around the campfire, keeping summer on hold for as long as you can.

Continue reading Summer on hold

The 30-minute campfire gourmet

In today’s post, Chef Deb Rankine, a.k.a. The Fridge Whisperer, shares two impressive campfire recipes sure to capture the oohs and aahs of fellow campers.

Kefta, kofta, brochette, kebab: the aroma of these subtly spiced ground lamb skewers grilling over slow-burning embers will have everyone near your campsite pining for a dinner invitation.

And a colourful ’n crunchy Orange, Radish and Fennel Salad is the perfect accompaniment to round out this gourmet meal. Continue reading The 30-minute campfire gourmet